Greenhouse.



No. 658,|80. Patented Sept. l8, I900.

K. M. JENNINGS.

GREENHOUSE (Application filed Mar. 19, 1900.!

(No Model.)

PATENT Fries.

KIMSEY M. JENNINGS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GREENHOUSE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,180, dated September 18, 1900. Application filed March 19 1900. -lerial No. 9,227. (No model.)

To aZZ whont it may concern:

be it known that I, KIMSEY M. JENNINGS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the cityandcountyofPhiladelphia,StateofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Im: provement in Greenhouses, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to greenhouses; and it consists of a novel construction of supporting devices for the roof, whereby provision is made for troughs which are located interiorly of the greenhouse below the roof members, so as to catch the drip of sweat or mois ture therein for preventing the same from dropping on the plants, flowers, &c.

It also consists in providing thelongitudinally-extending beams on which are the drip conductors or troughs or gutters with slots in the fastening members thereof, whereby said drip-conductors can be raised or lowered according to requirements, the ends thereof being closed but furnished with suitable outlets for permitting the escape of the moisture.

It further consists of novel details of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 representsin section a view, partly in elevation, of a portion of a greenhouse embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 represent, on an enlarged scale, sectional views, partly in elevation, of portions of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents in section a view, partly in elevation, of another embodiment of my invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a greenhouse, having the posts or uprights B, upon the upper portion of which is supported the beam 0, the latter having the outer gutter D therein and the angular offset portion E, which forms a ledge and serves as a support for the rafters or roof F, on which latter is supported the glass G. The offset portion or ledge E of the beam is continued interiorly of the greenhouse and provided with an inner trough H, which extends inwardly .below the roof members or rafters F, and whose function is to catch the drip of sweat or moisture in the greenhouse, and thus prevent the same from dropping upon the plants, fiowers, &c.

J designates a web or flange which has the function of bracing or strengthening the gutter, the offset E, and the inner trough H, said web depending from the beam 0 and being provided with the slots K, the walls of which slots are engaged. by the fastening devices L, whereby it will be seen that the beam C, the exterior gutter D, and the internal trough H can be raised or lowered with respect to the able the gutter Q to be raised or lowered and also leveled crosswise and held firmly in position until the house is erected.

It will be seen that the oifset E forms a ledge or abutment for the support of the rafters F, and provision is made for permitting the screws M to engage the cross-grain of the wood.

The construction seen in Fig. 4 is substantially the same as that already described, except that the outer gutter D (seen in Figs. 1 and 2) is omitted, the inner trough H and the ledge or offset E performing the same function, as already described with respect to Figs. 1 and 2, and it being apparent that the beam carrying the ledge or abutment seen in Fig. 4 is capable of vertical adjustment in the manner already described.

In the construction seen in Fig. 3 N designates a frame or beam having the ofiset or ledge P formed on either side of the gutter Q thereof, said ledges supporting the rafters F in the manner already described and being also provided with the internal troughs R, whose function is the same as the troughs H,

already described. The beam or frame N is provided with a slotted depending flange S, whereby the vertical adjustment of the troughs R and said beam is attained in the same manner as has already been described.

It will be apparent that slight changes may he made by those skilled in the art which will come within the scope of my invention, and I do not therefore desire to be limited in every instance to the exact construction I have herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a greenhouse, a beam having an internally-projecting trough, an outer gutter, and a depending web common to said gutter and trough, said web having slots therein, whereby the adjustment of said gutter, trough and web can be simultaneously effected.

2. In a greenhouse, a beam or frame having an offset whereby a ledge is formed for supporting the rafters or roof, an internal trough secured to said beam, andlocated within the greenhouse, a depending web common to said ofiset and trough, and having slots therein for the reception of fastening devices whereby the adjustment of said offset, trough and web can be simultaneously effected.

3. In a greenhouse, a beam having an olfset portion whereby a ledge or abutment is formed for the rafters or roof, thereby allowing screws to be inserted in the cross-grain of the wood thereof, an internal trough forming a continuation of said ledge and projecting within the greenhouse, a slotted web common to said ledge and trough and depending therefrom, and fastening devices for said web, whereby said beam can be vertically adjusted according to requirements.

4. In a greenhouse, a beam having an outer gutter, an internallyprojecting trough, a ledge or oifset intermediate said gutter and trough, a web common to said gutter, trough and oifset,wherehy said beam is strengthened and upright slots in said web, whereby said gutter, trough and oflset are enabled to be simultaneously raised and lowered according to requirements.

KIMSEY M. JENNINGS.

Witnesses:

E. HAYWARD FAIRBANKS, F. L. JENNINGS. 

